Liverpool still have plenty of business to attend to in this season’s Premier League before turning their attention fully to the transfer market.
The Reds have seven games left in which to secure their 20th English title. There can be no taking of eyes off balls.
Nevertheless, it’s also clear that a big summer lies in store at Liverpool. It’s important that Richard Hughes, Arne Slot and the rest of the recruitment team are fully prepared.
Up until Friday morning, it remained a possibility that part of those plans involved replacing top scorer Mohamed Salah.
There was also a strong chance that Liverpool may need to find a successor to Virgil van Dijk.
But with Salah putting pen to paper on a new contract and Van Dijk set to follow suit very soon, it is now clear exactly what Liverpool should be focusing on this summer instead.
Photo by John Powell/Liverpool FC via Getty ImagesLiverpool transfer plans become clear
Given they will not have known up until recently that both Salah and Van Dijk were staying, it must have been difficult for Hughes and Slot to focus on targets for this summer.
Had they needed to go into the market to replace both veterans, things would have looked a whole lot different than they do now.
Now, though, with Salah and – almost – Van Dijk confirmed as being part of the Liverpool squad for next season, they know where their energies need to lie.
Slot admitted as much during his pre-West Ham press conference on Friday. Asked if Salah staying made life easier for the summer, the Liverpool head coach teased that Mo’s extension may even be part of negotiations with prospective new signings.
READ MORE: Mohamed Salah could stay at Liverpool for three more years as new contract clause comes to light
“I think if I would put myself in the shoes of a player we might want to sign, it’s always nice to tell them that Mo has extended his contract. That helps,” said Slot.
“But what helps the most is that we kept a quality player that scores so many goals for us for seven or eight years in a row.”
Left-back and centre-forward key areas for Liverpool
Removing the need for Liverpool to sign a new right-sided forward and a starting centre-back, there is still plenty to be done at Anfield this summer.
Left-back is certainly an area which needs improving and Rousing The Kop understands that negotiations with Bournemouth could soon begin for Milos Kerkez.
Elsewhere, a new starting striker is a clear priority, with the remit being someone who can play alongside Salah rather than become the main man in his absence. RTK understands Alexander Isak very much remains Liverpool’s top target in this respect.
Beyond those two key positions, there is a possibility that Liverpool target another centre-back – more likely a third choice option – and potentially another central midfielder.
Finally, with Trent Alexander-Arnold likely to depart, right-back competition for Conor Bradley should also be on the agenda. That’s two key areas – left-back and striker – and three more possible signings for the Reds. A busy summer lies in wait.